New EU Emergency Travel Document
What is the EU Emergency Travel Document, and who will receive one?
The new EU Emergency Travel Document will be issued by EU Member States to EU citizenswhose passport has been lost, stolen or destroyed, or can otherwise not be obtained within a reasonable time.
The EU Emergency Travel Document is valid for a single journey to the holder’s EUMember State of nationality or residence, or exceptionally, to another destination (such as a neighbouring country with an embassy or consulate of the holder).
EU citizens who lose their passport in a country outside the EU where their own EU Member State of nationality does not have an embassy or consulate have a right to receive an EU Emergency Travel Document from any other EU Member State located in that country. The same applies if the embassy or consulate of the EU citizen’s EU Member State of nationality cannot be reached easily. This is an aspect of EU citizen’s fundamental right to consular protection.
Who else can receive an EU Emergency Travel Document?
EU Member States may also choose to issue the EU Emergency Travel Document to other persons, such as:
- their own nationals
- EU citizens who lose their travel documents in the EU, or based on specific arrangements between EU Member States
- non-EU national family members of EU citizens, where those family members live in the EU
- other persons to whom an EU Member State is obliged under international or national law to provide protection and who live in the EU.
How is the EU Emergency Travel Document issued?
EU citizens who need an EU Emergency Travel Document must apply at the embassy or consulate of an EU Member State. They will be asked to fill in an application form with the information necessary to identify them, to show any available means of identification, such as an identity card or driving license, and a photo will be taken.
An EU Emergency Travel Document is issued after verification of the applicant’s nationality and identity between the EU Member State providing assistance and the EU citizen’s Member State of nationality. In normal cases, the procedure should not take longer than seven working days.
The EU Member State issuing the EU Emergency Travel Document may charge the same fees as it charges its own nationals for the issuance of national emergency documents. This means that the fees will be different depending on which EU Member State is issuing the document.
For how long is an EU Emergency Travel Document valid?
The EU Emergency Travel Document is valid for the period required to complete the journey for which it is issued, including an additional period of flexibility of two days. Normally, the validity will not exceed 15 calendar days.
The holder of an EU Emergency Travel Document should complete the journey as quickly as possible and immediately apply for a normal travel document after arrival.
When the EU Emergency Travel Document is issued, the person receiving it will be asked to return the EU Emergency Travel Document upon arrival at the final destination. The EU Member State issuing the EU Emergency Travel Document will provide information as to where the document should be returned.
What is new about the EU Emergency Travel Document, and how does it look like?
The new EU Emergency Travel Document has an updated format and stronger security features, introduced by the 2019 Directive on an EU emergency travel document.
It consists of two parts: a sticker, which will contain the information on the holder, which is attached to a form. The form is a sheet of paper that, if folded, is the same size as a passport. It has space for stamps and up to two visas to be added, where needed. Sample images are available here.
The Commission, the European External Action Service and the global network of EU Delegations have provided information on the new EU Emergency Travel Document to countries around the world.
